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Les Gorges du Regalon

Merindol, Lourmarin,Cucuron

Bonnieux, Lacoste

Menerbes, Oppede, Robion

Cavaillon, starting point of another grand tour

Luberon-Gorges de Veroncle-Murs-Grottes de la Barigoule 

Cabrières d'Avignon, Mur de la  Peste, Bories

Gordes and abbaye de Senanques

Gorges de Veroncle, Murs, grottoes de la Barigoule

Roussillon, ochre but a not so idyllic destiny

Apt, Saignon and Sivergues

Buoux, Pertuis, Ansouis, Cadenet,  abbey of Sylvacane

From Gordes we take now the D 2 direction Roussillon. Only 3 km and we can stop already to visit the GORGES DE VERONCLE. The good part of these gorges is that the Forest Department has not taken any precautions against predators like we;-). Mass tourism didn’t come to this place yet (since I was there for the last time). We will not have to endure, picnic tables, garbage cans, and big signboards with prayers to preserve nature. Between the hamlets Les Sauvestres and Four-à-Chaux a signboard will indicate on the left side a small way to Les Grailles from where the walk will start. After having parked the car, we walk from Les Grailles through an ugly vacation village, then we follow a small river and we soon disappear in the green darkness of this melancholic rocky valley. After climbing thought the scrubs and trees we come to our first mill: Moulin de Cabrier. Beware not to fall in a deep “marmite”, a stone reservoir that must have been closed a long time ago. You can continue the walk along the other mills, of which the last one was restored and is inhabited. Finally there is a 16th century dam at the brink of a small lake full of cane. We could continue like this until Murs if somebody brings the car to this place ;-). But let’s get back to the car and drive to MURS, our second halt today.
MURS is also a sad halting-place in the history of the well-organized murders on the “Waldenzes”(protestants). During that religion war Murs was the haven and place where all the protestants (Cabrieres, Lacoste, Gordes) had settled to escape the persecution. Women children, old men. The feared baron of Oppede sent a lieutenant who started to rape women and young girls, children, kill them and burn everything down they could find! François Morenas, a great Luberon specialist wrote about Murs:” Five years after the massacres their dried bones were still lying there”. Murs today is good for a spiritual walk. It looks like a romantic gravure on the quiet paths leading to the valley, with the very successful restored dream chateau at the top, towering over the trees. It is very easy to walk from the village to the GROTTES DE BARIGOULE. Take the D 5, formerly d 15, direction Sault and march 2 km arriving at the hamlet of Les Sautarels. Anther km and a hook turn to the right and a right turn to the left. Here is a forest path leading to an abandoned farm named “Barigoule”. Along this small path and high in the green grown rocky wall (on the right side) you will find the hidden grottoes. There are four of them and it is in the last one that the last survivors of the “Waldenzes” were hidden. You can crawl inside and explore but don’t explore too far, there are several galleries and you might get lost. I still miss my dog (joke!)
Back to the car and on our way to Roussillon and its incredible ochre landscapes, sometimes called the Provencal Colorado.
But that’s for next article.

Bibliography

"La Provence et le Comtat Venaisin, Arts et Traditions Populaires", by B.Fernand (Aubanel, Avignon 1992), "Guide de la Provence mysterieuse" by Jean-Paul Clebert (Ed.Sand, 1986), « Les Brigands en Provence et en Languedoc », by Paul Dominique (ed.Aubanel,Avignon 1975), "A guide to Provence", by Michael Jacobs (ed;Viking, London 1988), "Luberon, carnets d'un voyageur attentif", by Ollivier-Elliot Patrick,(ed. Edisud Aix-en-Provence 1991), "Dictionnaire de la Provence medievale", by Jean Favier (Fayard, Paris 1993)« Provence, terre de meurtres et viols », by P.Vilbralat, « Luberon », by François Morenas (Auberge de Jeunesse, Saignon, Vaucluse)